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Walt Whitman to Thomas Jefferson Whitman, 27 February 1887

About This Item

  • Title: Walt Whitman to Thomas Jefferson Whitman, 27 February 1887
  • Date: February 27, 1887
  • Creator(s): Walt Whitman
  • Whitman Archive ID: wwh.00023
  • Source: Walt Whitman House, Camden, N.J. The transcription presented here is derived from Walt Whitman, The Correspondence, ed. Edwin Haviland Miller (New York: New York University Press, 1961–1977), 71. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the correspondence, see our statement of editorial policy.
  • Contributors to digital file: Stefan Schöberlein Ian Faith Kevin McMullen Stephanie Blalock
  • Cite this page: Whitman, Walt. "Walt Whitman to Thomas Jefferson Whitman, 27 February 1887." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 09 May 2025. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
  • Source File: wwh.00023.xml (TEI)
Camden1 Sunday P M Feb: 27 '87

Rather pleasant to-day—sunny, but cold—Nothing new with me—I went over to Phila. one evening last week, & read two "Leaves" in public2—pleasant ride there & back in carriage—was paid—Love to dear J[essie]3—O how my canary is singing as I write—

Walt Whitman

Correspondent:
Thomas Jefferson Whitman (1833–1890), known as "Jeff," was Walt Whitman's favorite brother. As a civil engineer, Jeff eventually became Superintendent of Water Works in St. Louis and a nationally recognized figure. For more on Jeff, see Randall Waldron, "Whitman, Thomas Jefferson (1833–1890)," Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New York: Garland Publishing, 1998).

Notes

  • 1. This letter is addressed: Thos: J Whitman | 4237 [Corrected by another hand to read "2437"] 2d Carondelet Av: | St Louis | Missouri. It is postmarked: Camden | Feb | 27 | (?); Saint Louis | Mar | 1 | 8 AM | 1887 | Rec'd. [back]
  • 2. On February 22, Whitman read "The Mystic Trumpeter" and "A Voice from the Sea" to the Contemporary Club in Philadelphia. [back]
  • 3. Jessie Louisa Whitman (1863–1957) was the second and youngest daughter of Whitman's brother Thomas Jefferson "Jeff" Whitman (1833–1890) and Jeff's wife Martha Mitchell Whitman (1836–1873). [back]
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